This invention relates to a new and improved process and apparatus for aligning graphite strands from fibers and to a fully woven graphite fabric which may be produced therefrom.
In the graphitizing of fiber, it is desireable to have high furnace throughput rates to lower production costs. For this purpose, original fibers such as cellulosics, polymer types, etc., are introduced into the graphitizing furnace in narrow, compact strips, and are graphitized in this form. Subsequently, these strips are placed on a paper backing as a tape. However, during the graphitizing process, the fibers tend to become crossed, fused together, etc.; heretofore, no practical way has been found to either align the fibers or the individual strands therein from the tape.
It has been considered that converting a woven or non-woven tape of graphitized fiber into aligned strands would significantly degrade physical properties of the fiber if it could be converted at all.
Graphitized cloth can be produced by passing a pre-woven cloth through a graphitizing furnace, but the fabric strength loses uniformity because the physical properties in the warp direction and filling direction are different due to tension differences imparted by the rollers which forward the fabric through the furnace.
Certain types of graphite utilization, other than weaving, usefully employ single end strands of graphite which are conveniently wound on a spool. This permits ease of storage and shipment and also enables individual strands to be utilized readily, such as in a winding process applied to nose cones, and other graphite filament reinforced articles, etc.